Fern is a very widespread plant, and also one of the oldest in the world. It has a root, leaves, and stem, but no seeds or flowers.
This type of plant can grow in all kinds of places, including inside your nome. It is also a frequent decoration in gardens. What is extremely important to many plant lovers – the fern is a fairly simple plant to grow and requires minimal care. Besides as decoration, ferns can also be used in gastronomy.
Since many plants are extremely poisonous to cats, if you have a pet at home, you will surely wonder if it is safe to have this plant. Are ferns toxic for cats?
Let’s find out all the important information about this issue.
Are There Any Signs of Fern Poisoning to Look Out for in Cats?
As previously mentioned, ferns (by themselves) are not toxic or poisonous for your cat, provided they aren’t doing much with or around them.
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However, if your cat is curious and ends up ingesting a lot of fern in a small amount of time, it might lead to fern poisoning and exhibit common digestive issues and symptoms like:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
- Drooling
These are not life-threatening for your cat. However, if you notice any of these symptoms, consider discussing the issue with your vet and get your cat checked out if needed.
Is It Safe For Your Cat To Be Around Fern?
Luckily, true ferns aren’t considered toxic for cats.
If you have this plant in your home or garden and you’ve come to see your cat nibbling on it, you don’t have to worry.
However, it’s important to note that while true ferns are non-poisonous to cats, some plants with ‘fern’ in their names can pose serious health risks to felines.
For instance, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals points out that plants like the Asparagus Fern, Fern Palm, Plumosa Fern, Sprengeri Fern are toxic to cats.
These plants aren’t real ferns, but I just want to make things clear to you. While some of you are experienced gardeners, perhaps some are just having a plant for the first time and aren’t sufficiently acquainted with the different species and their toxicity.
No matter what plant you’re about to have in your home, make sure you check whether it’s safe for your kitty.
When it comes to the real ferns – you can be safe this plant isn’t life-threatening for your pet.
On the other hand, plants with fern in their name that are toxic can cause severe symptoms like excess drooling, heavy breathing, seizures, and unsteady gait.
What Happens If Your Cat Ingests Ferns?
If your cat’s curiosity leads it to ingest ferns, don’t get scared immediately and expect symptoms like foaming at the mouth.
Most likely, your cat will just give it a try and figure out it isn’t something worth its attention. However, if, by any chance, your cat ingests a large amount of this plant, symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may occur.
The cat’s digestive system is designed to digest meat protein, not plants. Thus, excessive intake of any plant, even non-toxic ones, can lead to gastrointestinal problems. Usually, symptoms like this won’t demand a veterinary intervention.
You’ll just need to observe your cat for a little while and make sure its digestion and bowel movements are in order.
However, if your cat doesn’t show signs of improvement and becomes extremely lethargic, it’s important to take it to a veterinary clinic.
Continuous vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration in cats, which can be very serious. According to WebMD, cat dehydration isn’t just about the water loss, but also about the loss of essential minerals like chloride and sodium.
If dehydration is left untreated, it can lead to medical complications. For this reason, the veterinarian will administer intravenous fluids to help your cat regain lost electrolytes.
What Are Some Safe Cat-Friendly Plants to Keep at Home Besides Fern?
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If you still want to be safe with your cat and ensure that they don’t fall sick every now and then, numerous house plants are deemed safe for felines.
Some of the best cat-friendly plants to keep around are:
- Money tree
- Friendship plant
- Polka dot plant
- Orchids
- Banana tree
- Bamboo
- Spider plant
- Areca palm
However, regardless of the type of house plan you have in your home, the key is to keep an eye out for them, ensuring they aren’t nibbling on the leaves and ingesting dirt from the plant pot.
Usually, it is not the plant itself that is toxic to cats, but how they interact with them that leads to common symptoms and issues, as we highlighted previously. What you need to ensure is that your cat sticks to its standard diet and does not gravitate towards the plants around your home.
Should You Have A Fern If You Own A Cat?
The real fern plant shouldn’t be a problem with a feline friend in your home.
Once again, just make sure you’re thinking of the real fern, and not other plants that simply have the term fern in their names. Many of them are highly poisonous while the real fern is a safe option having a pet around.
Of course, you would want to avoid your cat nibbling on your plant: While the real fern isn’t poisonous, there isn’t anything good about your cat ingesting it.
One thing you can do is limit your cat’s access to the garden – if this is the place where your fern is.
If you plan to place this plant inside your home, hanging planters are a great idea.
This is a good way to make them, as much as possible, more difficult to reach for those curious little paws.
Of course, if you believe it’s inevitable that your cat will be drawn to a new plant, and you want to avoid even the slightest risk of stomach issues for your pet, then the best solution is simply not to keep such a plant in your house.
Summary
You like the way the ferns would look in your garden or your living room, but, you’re unsure whether this is a good idea with having a cat inside your home?
Feel free to put your fear aside, as the fern is not a poisonous plant. In the worst case, if your kitty eats a large amount of this plant, she could face stomach problems.
Of course, the chances of this happening are not that likely. Also, there are ways to locate this plant so that it is out of your pet’s reach.
In the end, I remind you all to check whether you’re having the real fern plant, or some other, with only fern in its name, and the one that could be potentially toxic for pets.
Always do your thorough research on any plant you plan to add to your home.
Another topic that could be interesting for you to read is whether baking soda is safe for cats. Hope to catch you there!